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Re: Where Does The Idea Screen Reader Users Use Tab for Main Navigation Come From?

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From: Reuben Turk
Date: Oct 11, 2018 4:37AM

Hi Brandon,

My impression was that programming for tab navigation isn't really for
screen reader users but for users who use only a keyboard to navigate,
since browsers support keyboard navigation via tabs.

Programming for screen readers to me is more about making sure all your
elements are machine readable than worrying about how a screen reader moves
between elements.

I could be wrong though. I'm not actually sure how screen readers handle
translating your arrow keystrokes into navigation of elements in the
browser, although I'm interested to do some investigations now.

Cheers,
Reuben.

On Thu, 11 Oct 2018 at 21:19, Brandon Keith Biggs <
<EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:

> Hello,
>
> Does anyone know where the idea that screen reader users mostly use tab to
> navigate comes from?
>
>
>
> I've been using and teaching screen reader usage on Windows, Linux, and IOS
> for over 15 years and I would say I press most keys on my keyboard more
> than I press my tab key. My navigation keys are the arrow keys and browser
> mode navigation keys. Tab is used in select situations when it is either
> impossible or time-consuming to navigate using the arrow keys. If you use
> tab to navigate, you miss lots of information, such as everything in <p> or
> <h*> elements. Contrary to what I see accessibility professionals saying,
> tab is not how I move through a page at all. In fact, I would say 90% of
> web pages I visit I never press the tab key. When I teach people how to use
> the screen reader, I tell them only to use tab to navigate between form
> fields because it is faster. Otherwise, use the arrow keys because you get
> much more information.
>
> Does anyone know why tab is considered to be the main way screen reader
> users navigate? Are there studies showing that tab is really the way screen
> reader users navigate?
>
> It's harmful when developers make an experience that is only accessible
> using tab and I miss it because I'm using the arrow keys.
>
> Thanks,
>
>
> Brandon Keith Biggs <http://brandonkeithbiggs.com/>;
> > > > >